1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dog sled and more particularly to a dog sled having enhanced steering capability.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional dog sled customarily has a construction that includes a pair of parallel runners or skids with upturned forward portions, a brush bow or bumper that interconnects the front ends of the runners, side frames connected by cross members, and a transverse handle that joins the tops of a pair of generally upright side members. The driver grasps the handle and stands on elongate rearward portion of the runners. Steering of these typically rigidly constructed sleds is accomplished by the driver shifting his or her weight to the runner on the side in the direction of the turn, in conjunction with having the dogs pull the front of the sled in this direction.
Unfortunately there are several drawbacks associated with steering conventionally constructed dog sleds, and these drawbacks are of greater concern in the sport of dog sled racing. The problem is that the turning of a conventional dog sled is inefficient and cumbersome, and is lacking in control and precision. First, is noted that an appreciable amount of side skidding tends to occur when a conventional sled is turned. Also, the drag generated at the runner/snow interface is excessive during such turns, and this requires increased exertion by the dogs. Moreover, the driver will expend a fair amount of exertion in shifting his weight and manipulating the sled in an attempt to compensate for the limited steerability of the sled.
An additional problem of conventional sleds is that they are difficult to maintain in the intended path when traversing sloped terrain, and extraordinary efforts by the driver, such as inclining the entire sled so that it rides only on the uphill runner, is required in order to keep the sled from side-slipping down the slope. It is further noted that when the driver stands directly upon the runners, flexing of the runners in response to uneven surfaces is inhibited, which hinders shock absorbency and efficient tracking.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,754,011 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,570 show what are essentially rigid dog sled structures, although U.S. Pat. No. 1,754,011 purports to provide some increased steerability by having the driver rest with one foot on one runner while using the other foot to bend the other runner. Efforts at increased steerability in sleds is shown in the ski sled of U.S. Pat. No. 2,209,830 where a pair of standard skis is mounted to a frame that is laterally tiltable, but otherwise essentially stiff. U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,902 shows a steerable ski sled that has a steering wheel that is used in the manner of a conventional vehicle steering wheel, and involves multiple pairs of runners and a steering train of multiple linkages. Such a construction is complex and would not lend itself to the sport of dog sled racing where the driver stands and drives the dogs and the sled from the rear of the sled.